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ByCompiled from wire service reports by Robert Kilborn, Kristen Broman-Worthington, and Steven SavidesJanuary 18, 2002

BUT DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY

"I loved her," Susan Gunn said. "She was my companion ... she's part of my childhood." Goodness, what could she feel so passionately about: a pet dog? No. The Norwalk, Conn., resident is a campaigner for inducting Raggedy Ann into the National Toy Hall of Fame. You might think the floppy doll with red-yarn hair would be a natural. After all, she has been an American icon since 1915. But you'd be wrong. Although the Barbie doll is already in the hall, Raggedy Ann has been rejected four times. And she's up against 89 other nominees for the next admission, March 27.

Washington is US's No. 1 college town, survey finds

Each year, the Princeton Review, a test-preparation and college-resource company, conducts surveys among students across the nation for the purpose of ranking schools in 62 categories. One of them: the "best college town," based on how favorably each student responds to questions about where his or her campus is located, such as the availability of coffee houses, clubs, and other entertainment venues. The top college towns and their major schools, as listed in the review's 2002 edition of "The Best 331 Colleges":